I admit Meghan Markle being in the film version of this Hallmark Publishing story partly influenced me in my Book of the Month decision. I don’t want to hear groans about the royal wedding coming up this May 19th! I wish her and Prince Harry the best even though I won’t be getting up early to watch the ceremony. I also recommend Rachel Hauck’s Royal Wedding series to get excited for the real-life fairy tale coming up.
Anyway, May’s Book of the Month is…
Dater’s Handbook by Cara Lockwood! The book also comes out tomorrow if you can’t wait to purchase a copy. As always, you can find it on Amazon, iTunes, Barnes & Noble, and Kobo!
This story centers on Cassandra, or Cass, a woman who struggles with finding the right guy. After another relationship goes south, Cass reluctantly follows the advice of Dr. Susie, a self-help guru who just released a new book on relationships. As she gets to know two possible love interests in George and Robert, hilarity, unsolicited advice from family, and more follow suit. As she follows the book cover to cover, Cass has to make a decision not just for finding true love, but for herself.
It’s been a while since I’ve read a chick lit book or romantic comedy, and this one didn’t disappoint. Following Cassandra’s point of view throughout the story, we get a very good look into her thoughts, feelings, and familial relationships. We also gain a better understanding of why she struggles to find the man of her dreams. I found her very relatable and her love interests very real. Everyone has good things and flaws about them, and Lockwood did an excellent job of balancing the traits Robert and George have. That made me like them both, but also raised questions about what matters most in pursuing a relationship you desire.
I confess that I too turn to self-help books now and again for advice on happiness, finding confidence, and so on. Some books were better than others. But after reading this book, Cassandra’s experience with Dr. Susie made me question the reasoning behind self-help books. I still think they are valuable, but maybe some pieces of advice should not be taken entirely to heart and there should be wiggle room for you to decide on what you want for yourself. I also wish the sister, Nadia, was a little more tolerable of Cass’s choices, even though I do feel she had her sister’s best interests at heart. Again, tying back to how we all have good traits and flaws that make us human and real.
I did find who Cass chose predictable, and I think that was a drawback to the first person point of view. Having more of the main character’s personality on display made it easier for me to choose one of the guys she should end up with right after the first date! I did feel swayed towards the other choice now and then, but I felt my mind was made up very quickly. Overall, this story was still very entertaining and I got plenty of good laughs.
If you want to laugh, get your mind off bad relationships, or go for that recipe at the very end, check out Dater’s Handbook. Who knows? Maybe you’ll find some good advice for your own dating life.
Happy reading!
The Writer's Soul 